Wolf Taken by Heather Renee

6

Cait

Roman zeroed in on us and wasted no time closing the distance between our wolves. My wolf took control, making her thoughts known as soon as she laid eyes on Roman.

Mate, she cooed.

Well, at least she’d be nice to him.

Roman’s wolf knocked us over, and mine exposed her neck as he nipped at us.

Have some self-respect, girl,I muttered.

He’s our mate. There is nothing wrong with letting him love us, she snapped.

I wasn’t sure loving was what he was doing—more like claiming—but I let them have their moment. I’d hopefully get the chance to have my own with Roman as a man as soon as our other halves were done.

Embry appeared behind us, and my wolf snarled at her.

“Whoa, girl. I’m your friend. You’ve got nothing to worry about from me,” Embry said with her hands up, but not backing away.

How much do you like this female?my wolf asked.

We like her a lot. She’s our best friend. Bite her, and me and you are going to have issues, I replied seriously.

The wolf grumbled incoherently, then gave her attention back to Roman’s beast.

His grey wolf was practically foaming at the mouth as he sniffed and placed little bites all over my upper half. Or was it her, or even our, upper half? I wasn’t sure how to describe myself anymore, but as the confusion settled, I wondered if I’d have bruises when I shifted back.

Serene and Beatrix stepped in next. My wolf was not pleased with all of our guests.

“We need to get back to the pack before someone finds us,” Beatrix said, and I couldn’t agree more. I’d prefer Callista to believe she succeeded in killing me.

Roman’s wolf backed up, and mine whimpered. She was doing nothing to show we were strong, independent females, but then again, I promised to have an open mind and give this mate thing a chance. I’d do my best to follow her lead as much as I could. I had to still be me, though. I wasn’t going to change everything for a man. I just wasn’t capable of it.

Roman shifted back, and I began to panic. I had no idea how I was supposed to become me again.

He must have read the terror rolling off of me, because when Roman bent down, his cobalt eyes were bright with emotion and staring into my soul. He pressed his head against mine, digging his fingers into my fur.

“I can’t ever lose you again,” Roman whispered, voice rough with torture.

My heart broke for him. I’d had it bad being taken, but he’d suffered right alongside me. There was no denying how much he already cared for me.

“The first shift back is always the trickiest. Just focus on the form you want to take and will it to be,” Roman said.

Are you going to fight me?I asked my wolf.

No, our mate needs you. I’ll never deny him what he needs.

Her tone was superior, and I was ready to smack her down from her high horse. We needed to find common ground, because I wasn’t going to live with her holier-than-thou attitude for long, but I could ignore it for the time being.

I did as Roman said and pictured my human body, focusing first on my long brunette hair and green eyes, then working my way down. I’d been a hot mess before shifting, and I silently hoped some of the wolf magic would clean me up a little.

My mind pushed everything else out as I focused. I was lost in the magic as power swirled inside me. My arms and legs felt like they were swaying in the wind—nothing like when I shifted from human to animal.

As relaxation set in, I sighed and opened my eyes to find Roman’s bare back standing in front of me. Embry’s snickering sounded from in front of him.

“Beatrix. Clothe her,” Roman demanded.

I glanced down and nearly pissed myself. Where are my clothes? I screeched internally.

Smug once again, she said, You forgot to think about them.

Oh, that little…

Beatrix clapped her hands together and I was wearing black yoga pants and a tight tank top. Not the outfit I would have chosen, but it was better than being naked.

The witch then waved her hands and re-opened the portal. Embry jumped through first, seeming to realize that Roman was a brick wall she wasn’t going to be getting through anytime soon. Serene and Beatrix went next, and I peeked around Roman.

“So, are we staying here or…?”

Ever so slowly, he turned. His eyes still had a glow about them, but there was an underlying darkness to them I’d missed before. Roman was broken, and every part of me yearned to soothe all his aches.

My hands raised and rested gently on his muscled chest. “I’m sorry, Roman.”

“You’re sorry?” He barked out a laugh, but there was nothing comforting about it. “I failed to do the only thing I was created to do. I failed you.”

Tears sprung from my eyes, and I stepped closer to him, raising myself up onto the tips of my toes, so I could better meet his gaze. “You did no such thing. Shit happens. I just want to forget the last few days and figure out what happens next.”

His hands fisted around my hips as I stared up at him. He was twice as wide as me and nearly a foot taller, and I’d never felt safer. One of his hands trailed tantalizingly slow up my ribs, moving around my arm, then cupped my neck as he lowered his forehead to mine.

We stood there, soaking each other in, enjoying the quiet of the night until a whistle cut through the silence, reminding us we weren’t safe just yet.

Without asking, Roman picked me up, and cradled me to his chest. I wanted to object, but the warmth of his body was too comforting to deny.

We stepped through the portal and, surprisingly, I felt nothing as the magic flickered around us. Embry grinned widely, and I smiled back, aching to also hug my best friend. I’d had no idea if anything happened to her when I was taken, and it was more than a relief to see her in one piece.

Just as I thought Roman was going to let me down, he growled, tightened his hold, and then sprinted into the woods.

Nobody followed, and, as exhausted as I was, I couldn’t deny that seeing this side of Roman was hot as hell.

My palms rested on his chest as I focused on the rapid beat of his heart. The longer I touched him, the more in sync we felt. My pulse pounded just as his did. My breathing leveled out, and everything else around us faded away.

As Roman sprinted through the trees, his eyes found mine and didn’t break contact until his bare foot made contact with the wooden door.

We were at his cabin, and a part of me was suddenly nervous. I could only think of one reason Roman would have brought me out here in his current state. We’d only known each other a couple weeks, and I’d spent most of that time fighting everything that drew me to Roman. I wasn’t sure I was ready to dive right into the physical stuff.

Though, as I took a breath and met his stare again, listening to the sound of the shutting door, nothing else felt more right to me. Roman wasn’t asking anything of me. He needed a moment and, if I really thought about it, so did I.

Mate, my wolf whispered.

With power swirling inside me, I knew she was right. Roman was ours. I hadn’t been ready before. I hadn’t understood what “mate” even meant, and I still wasn’t entirely sure, but I knew enough to accept the safety Roman was offering me.

My back pressed against a wall as Roman shifted my position so that my legs wrapped around his waist. “Did she hurt you?” he asked, voice still rough.

“It was nothing I couldn’t handle,” I replied, wiggling against him as the nerves from just moments before gave way to the desire working its way through me.

Roman’s hands trailed over my upper body as the pressure of his lower half kept me pinned to the wall. “I want to ask you for every detail so I can rip everyone to shreds who dared to touch a hair on your head, but…”

His words faded as he placed a soft kiss against my neck, breathing me in.

I knew what he meant. I’d just been beaten and killed and brought back to life. I should be a hot mess, but there was nothing I wanted more than his continued touch.

He heals us, my wolf said, and I had no reason to doubt her. Everything felt more energized and strengthened now that we were together like this.

Roman’s lips moved slowly, barely touching my skin as he made his way to my face. “Cait, I know you didn’t want this before, but the pull toward you… I can’t fight it. I can’t let you go unless that is truly what you want. Not after the last several days.”

My first instinct was to pull Roman closer and never let him go. The old me would have second-guessed that, but I’d had my time to think, and I was done with it. I wanted Roman. I’d wanted him since the moment I laid eyes on him. I’d just been too damn scared to follow through with the emotions he elicited from me.

No longer did I want to live in fear. Roman was made for me, and it was time I accepted that fact. I was more than ready, and so was he.

“Don’t let me go, then,” I said, even though a part of me thought we should talk first. Then again, I’d just been tortured to death—literally—and a distraction in the form of a sexy muscled alpha was nothing to complain about. Nothing wrong with keeping reality away for just a little bit longer.

Without needing any further encouragement, Roman closed the distance between us. I kissed him with every bit of fear, excitement, and hesitation that I had been holding inside.

I put it all on the line, opening my mind and heart to the possibilities I’d found myself in. I’d never asked for this new life—I hadn’t even known it existed—but I was ready. Finally.

Being reborn was the best thing that could have happened to me. The freeness flowing through me as Roman’s tongue explored my mouth was exhilarating and enlightening.

He was gentle at first, letting me take control and set the pace, but that only lasted for so long. One of his hands fisted my hair at the base of my neck while the other gripped my ass, keeping me impossibly close to him.

He was only wearing sweatpants and, given Beatrix had dressed me in thin yoga pants, nothing was left to the imagination as his hard lines pressed exactly where I wanted them.

I rocked against him until the hand holding my hair slipped between us. A slight hesitation slithered through me, but I pushed it away, focusing only on the strength Roman was providing me with every touch he gave.

As the tips of his fingers stroked my skin, a moan I thought I’d be embarrassed about escaped from me. My head leaned back against the wall as I let Roman devour every piece of me that he wanted.

“I should let you rest, but I need you,” Roman whispered against my neck.

“I need you, too. We can rest later.”

I felt his grin grow against my skin as his fingers traveled lower, finding me just as eager for our reunion as he seemed to be.

“You are everything I didn’t know I needed, Cait.”

I wanted to reply with something equally as sweet, but words were lost on me as I rocked against his hand, finding the pleasure I hadn’t known I needed, either.

Tender words continued to slip from his lips as he nipped, stroked, and treasured me, all while keeping me pinned against the wall.

My breathing increased until I couldn’t contain myself anymore. Roman was taking my body to places I had never imagined, and I was here for it, digging my nails into his shoulders and enjoying the ride.

“Come for me, Kitten.”

And come I did. Loud and proud.

Roman’s touch never left me as I soared from his expert touch and let him continue to heighten my emotions. Once I felt moderately normal again, I reached for the band of his sweatpants, but he shook his head.

“Not now,” he said.

“But you…”

“I am more than okay as long as I have you back. Plus, I’m going to need more time with you than what we have now for anything more.” The spark in his eyes drew anticipation from me I didn’t expect.

Damn, why had I waited so long for this?

It didn’t matter now. I couldn’t change the past, but I would do my best to embrace the future and the new life I’d been tossed into.

Roman’s fingers caressed their way toward my wrist, turning it over until he could see my mark. The crescent shape was darker and bolder than it had ever been.

“I think it’s linked to us. There is a pulse within it that calls to me,” he said, stroking the mark.

“Possibly. It was nearly gone while I’d been underground,” I replied.

With that one comment, Roman’s mood deteriorated. “We should get back to the others and formulate a plan. We have a group ready to hunt the witch that took you.”

I nodded, unsure if I should tell him that Callista wasn’t working alone—that his grandfather had played an enormous part in my taking—but I decided to wait until we went back to the pack house. Then, I could tell everyone at once and only deal with the wave of anger I imagined would follow once.

Roman lowered me to the ground, cupping my cheeks once my feet hit the floor. “I’m sorry. I know you seemed okay with…what just happened. But you made a decision before, and I’d promised to respect it.”

My head was shaking before he even finished speaking. “I’d made that choice prematurely. I’d been scared and overwhelmed and out of my element. I made a mistake.”

Joy flowed between us at my words, not only from him and me, but my wolf as well. She’d been quiet, and I hoped now that we were back at the pack, she’d lessen the smug attitude.

Roman took my hand and led me out of the cabin. I hesitated, because I knew once we left the confines of these walls, I’d have to deal with the reality of my situation. I wasn’t sure I was ready for what was to come, but I was also tired of being afraid.

It was time to figure out what the Moon Goddess had meant by her earlier words.